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This message was originally posted by new2fostering.

Hi,

I'm Heather, i live in the Uk, i have 2 children, Melissa aged 6 and Mark aged 3.

My hubby and i have decided that now is a good time to go ahead with fostering..(something we wanted to do since my daughter was 2 yrs old)

We have our first "home visit" on the 20th august at 7pm!,... what can i expect??

HELP, i'm sared now....

Heather

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This message was originally posted by jolean12.

Welcome to the board!

Congratulations on your decision to become a foster parent! It is the hardest but most rewarding thing you will ever do. The homestudy was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. They checked for safety plugs in outlets, medications out of reach (now they need to be locked here), asked us questions about how we felt about discipline, how we met, how we deal with conflict, checked bedroom space. I know others will think of some others, but it really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

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This message was originally posted by Jodi.

Our experience was similar to Joelle's. They spent the bulk of the time finding out about us and why we wanted to foster, our past, how we handle dispiline, etc. They did do an initial walk-through and let us know what needed to be changed.
All and all it was much easier than I expected and we went through the whole process really fast. 28 days to certification and then we recieved a call for our first placement the next day! Whew!
Feel free to post your questions as you think of them. Each area is a bit different, but we will be happy to throw our "two-cents worth" in.
Jodi

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This message was originally posted by luckybunn.

Hi,

We have our home study this Thur. so I know what your feeling. Our CW called yesterday and wanted to do it today. I should of let her come because now I will just be nervous that much longer.
I hope to have our license by the end of the month but I don't know if it will happen that fast. We take the CORE class this weekend and the CPR class will be the next three Wednesdays. We have completed all the paperwork and background checks(I hope).

Good luck to you!
Rachel

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This message was originally posted by new2fostering.

OH GOOD LUCK Rachel,

Let us know how you get on.

Heather

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This message was originally posted by WEARGRL3.

I am new here too. I just starting MAPP training classes on Wednesday. Wanted to know if other states require this type of training before certification? Especially interested in PA since I am planning on ultimately relocating there.

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This message was originally posted by jolean12.

Welcome to the board and the wonderful world of foster parenting! This is the hardest but most rewarding thing we have ever done.

It seems that some type of class is offered everywhere. In GA we also take the MAPP training class. Good luck with classes and let us know if we can answer any questions for you.

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This message was originally posted by new2fostering.

This time next week we will be in the middle of our first meeting with social services...and i feel sick with worry.

When will they ask what sex/age child we want to foster?
What else will they talk to us about on this first visit??

Heather

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This message was originally posted by jodyk2.

Heather,

Don't worry; while the prospect of the interview is scary, it's really not so bad. I don't know how they do it in the UK (or even other agencies here, for that matter), but it helps to remember that, as much as you want to be a foster parent, they NEED you to be one. The questions are to make sure you're a stable person, you aren't doing it for the money (they make sure you earn enough to take care of yourself & your family), and that you do want to care for children.

If they're coming to your home, they'll probably tell you what you need to meet safety standards. Most of my training was done before the 1st home visit, and they gave us a list of what we needed to have. They told me they like to come first & let you know what you need to do before they do the in-depth interview, just in case you decide it's too much -- they don't want to waste your time or theirs if you decide to not to make so many changes.

My interviews were about 2 years ago, so I don't remember them all that well, but I do remember that it wasn't nearly as prying as I thought it would be. It will help if you think the conversation through in advance: Why do you want to foster? How will you work out child care if you work? How do you discipline (Answer: "I don't believe in spanking or other corporal punishment. I try to redirect their attention or give them a time out as a last resort -- 1 minute per year of age." [I do happen to believe & do this, but it's also the PC answer. ])

In the U.S., they do ask the ages/sex/races you want to foster. There are no wrong answers, but be honest about what you're comfortable with. At first, I was going to foster only girls, but later on decided that I'd take any young (under 4) child who needed me. I've ended up with a wonderful nearly 2 year old boy. I do sometimes pine for a girl (he can be exhausting!), but he's been the light in my life for the last year (and the dark cloud for the 4 months he was back with his mother).

Just remember, they're people, too. And the workers I've met have all been very young & some are new to the job, so they're nervous as well. Just take a deep breath, try to relax & remember that if you want something badly enough, you have to jump through the hoops that are there to get it.

--jody

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This message was originally posted by new2fostering.

well only 2 days to go until our first visit, i'm really nervous!

Called a social worker today about 2 children we are interested in, a girl aged 8 and a boy aged 4, a sibling set who look just like my own children!
The social worker told me that they had 3 couples interested in them , one with a view to adoption, but the children arn't happy as they'd be the only children in the house in all 3 families, so they are trying to pursuade them to give it a try...she said she's not convinced it will happen so she was keeping my details on their file for when we are finally approved, and if they are still waiting then they'll be told about us and we'll meet, god i'm so happy and so scared!

Wish me luck

Heather

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This message was originally posted by luckybunn.

Heather,

I forgot to let you know what happened, Sorry.
We had our home study a week ago it was supposed to be on Thursday but my CW forgot to come. She was able to get out on Friday morning.

She barely looked at anything!!! I was trying to dragg her in the rooms and show her my clean organized closets (haha) but she didn't seem to care. She did not go into any of the rooms, just stood in the hallway and looked.

She really only wanted to see the backyard, the furnace and the water heater. Then we sat down and she asked if I had latches on the cabinets, cleaners up high. Medicine stored in a lock box. She also said we need to get a 5lbs. fire extinguisher.

I talked to her today and asked her if she was going to come back out make sure everything was o.k. and she said no she didn't need to come back.

I will be giving her our health records, copies of Drivers licenses, copies of insurance on Friday and then all I have to do is wait for her to put it all together.

I hope we will have a baby in the house by the end within three weeks. I found out from my neighbor whom is a GAL ( I did not know she was a GAL until last week ) that sadly they get babies every week born addicted to drugs. My and my husband have decided that we only want to take these babies.

I have been trying to get my CW to lead me to special classes that can teach me something about these precious babies, but she has yet to come up with anything.

Well let us know how it goes I'm excited for you!!

Rachel

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This message was originally posted by new2fostering.

Hi Rachel,

I hope our social woker doesn't want to look in my wardrobes, they are crammed full of christmas presents...(ha ha yes already!!!) barely enough space for clothes.

Whats a GAL?????...sorry not used to these abbreviations yet, and being from the uk, we use different terms to you!

I'd love to foster a baby, but it seems that its school age kids that need families here, which is great as it means i get a break from them during the day!

We have a 6ft by 6ft playhouse coming today, in a bid to present our home as child friendly, but the social worker joked that if it had water and electricity i could fit another 2 kids in it, as they are desperate for foster homes here in the uk.

Will keep you all updated

Heather

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This message was originally posted by jolean12.

new2fostering,
A GAL is a guardian ad litem, that looks out for the child's best interest. Keep us posted on how the homestudy goes. Closer and closer you come.....Hey I want one of those playhouses, can you send me one to GA? LOL

luckybunn,
Congrats! You have jumped through all the hurdles and now comes the hardest part....waiting. Keep us posted, I will be excited to hear that your first placement has arrived.
We can't find any special training for caring for drug addicted newborns here either. We had to go in blind and we were scared to death. Our 1st placement was a drug addicted 1 day old baby girl, she is now 14 months old and doing great. It was a long road but well worth it. If I can help you in any way just let me know.

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This message was originally posted by new2fostering.

Half an hour to go, until my first home visit, so watch this space!

Will update you guys once my social worker has gone.

WISH ME LUCK!

Heather